Pacquiao - Give me Hatton

Hitman could be next after phenomenal win

Last updated: 7th December 2008   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Pacquiao - Give me Hatton

Pacman: Up for Hatton

I can fight any time, anywhere. I can go to England to fight Hatton, no problem.

Manny Pacquiao
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Manny Pacquiao says he'd be happy to fight Ricky Hatton in England after destroying Oscar De La Hoya in their superfight in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

The Filipino icon defied ring logic by stepping up three weight divisions in eight months to stop the faded 'Golden Boy' after eight rounds inside the MGM Grand.

Hatton was being lined up to fight the winner, with De La Hoya expected to come out victorious en route to a huge summer showdown in London next year.

But those plans came unstuck in a huge way as Pacquiao first befuddled De La Hoya and then battered him before the fight was stopped after round eight.

Afterwards Pacquiao told Sky Box Office he's up for a showdown with the Hitman, saying: "My job is to fight in the ring, that's the promoter's job. I can fight any time, anywhere. I can go to England to fight Hatton, no problem."

Meanwhile Bob Arum, Pacman's promoter, agreed Manny against Ricky at light-welterweight could be on the cards.

Hatton praise

He said: "Why not, but tonight and until the New Year it's celebration time for all the Filipinos.

"But after that I know Ray - we'll sit down, we'll talk, that's probably the most logical fight to be made - Manny against Ricky Hatton at 140lbs. Because obviously Manny would want to fight at 140 and so would Ricky.

"That's probably number one on the drawing board. But let the kid have a great Christmas and New Year, and then we'll sit down to business."

Hatton himself sympathised with De La Hoya, whose fine career looks all but over, and heaped praise on an 'oustanding' display from Pacquiao.

"I'm a little bit sick because sometimes you see some of your heroes, so many great fighters, end their careers in that manner but thankfully he (De La Hoya) is okay," Hatton said.

"He's such a great champion, such a role model for the game and it wasn't really nice to see that, but credit to Manny Pacquiao - outstanding, pound-for-pound No.1.

"I want to fight the best people in the world, I want to win world titles, I want to move up and down the weight divisions and I've done that and I feel very blessed that I'm in a position to fight Manny Pacquiao - he was outstanding tonight."

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